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CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 



OF 



THE CHESTER COUNTY 



HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 




WITH LIST OF OFFICERS 



FOR 1895. 



S HICKMAN, PH.. WEST CHESTER, PA. 



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CHARTER AND BY-LAWS 



zJi 



OF 



THE CHESTER COUNTY 



HISTORICAL SOCIETY, 




WITH LIST OP OFFICERS 



FOR 188B. 



C4C44 



OFFICERS FOR 189B. 

PRESIDENT. 
GEORGE MORRIS PHILIPS. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS. 
WILLIAM D. HARTMAN, M. D., 
ALFRED SHARPLESS. 

DIRECTORS. 
GILBERT COPE, 
GIBBONS GRAY CORNVVELL, 
GEORGE MORRIS PHILIPS, 
DANIEL W. HOWARD, 
JAMES MONAGHAN. 

CORRESPONDING SECRETARY. 
WILLIAM T. SHARPLESS, M. D. 

RECORDING SECRETARY. 
GILBERT COPE. 

TREASURER. 
JAMES C. SELLERS. 

CURATORS. 
ALICE LEWIS, 
WILLIAM T. SHARPLESS, M. D. 



COUNCIL. 
LINDA M. HOOPES, ALFRED SHARPLESS, 

ALICE LEWIS, GILBERT COPE, 

MARY I. STILLE, GIBBONS G. CORNWELL, 

JOSEPH THOMPSON, GEORGE M. PHILIPS, 

WILLIAM P. SHARPLESS, DANIEL W. HOWARD, 

SAMUEL MARSHALL, JAMES MONAGHAN, 

WILLIAM D. HARTMAN, WILLIAM T. SHARPLESS, 

JAMES C. SELLERS. 

TLe Sowety 
J4F '05 



CHARTER. 



Be it known that the subscribers, having associated them- 
selves together for the purpose in the following articles set 
forth, and being desirous of becoming incorporated agreeably to 
the provisions of the Act of the General Assembly of the Com- 
monwealth of Pennsylvania, entitled " An Act to provide for 
the Incorporation and Regulation of certain Corporations," 
approved the Twenty-ninth day of April, Anno Domini one 
thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, and its supplements, 
do hereby declare, set forth and certify that the following are 
the purposes, objects, articles and conditions of their said as- 
sociation, for and upon which they desire to be incorporated. 

/. The name of the Corporation shall be Thk Chester 
County Historicaiv Society. 

//. The purpose for which the Corporation is formed is the 
acquisition and preservation of property and information of 
historic value or interest to the people of Chester County. 

///. The place where the business of the said Corporation is 
to be transacted is West Chester, Chester County, Pennsylva- 
nia. 

IV. The Corporation is to exist perpetually. 

V. The names and residences of the subscribers are as fol- 
lows : 



RESIDENCE, 



Joseph T. Rothrock, 
Daniel W. Howard, 
Gilbert Cope, 
Edwin A. Barber, 
Geo. Morris Philips, 
J. Newton Huston, . 
Joseph Thompson, 
James Monaghan, 
Lowndes Taylor, . 
Samuel Marshall, 
Gibbons Gray Cornwell, 
Charles H. Pennypacker, 



West Chester, Chester Co., Pa. 



NAME. RESIDENCE. 

J. Carroll Hayes, . . West Chester, Chester Co., Pa. 

William P. Sharpless, . " " 

Joseph S. Walton, . . Ercildoun, " 

G. WiNFiELD Moore, . " " 

H. H. GiLKVsoN, . . . Phoenixville, " 

William D. Hartman, .• West Chester, " 

Mary I. Stille, ... " " 

Robert T. Cornwell, . " " 

Alice Lewis, .... " " 

Benjamin M. Everhart, . " " 

Rebecca M. Hemphill, . " " 

Addison Jones, ... " " 

S. I. Kremer, . . . . " 

Isaac Massey, ... " " 

Richard G. Park, . . " " 

James C. Sellers, . . " " 

Alfred D. Sharples, . . " " 

S. Emlen Sharples, . . " " 

William T. Sharpless, . " " 

Julius F. Sachse, . . Berwyn, " 

Philip P. Sharples, . . West Chester, " 

J. O. K. Robarts, . . Phoenixville, " 

R. Jones Monaghan, . . West Chester, " 
Edward H. Hall, . . " 

Slater B. Russell, . . " " 

Alfred Sharpless, . . " " 

Martha S. Sharples, . . " " 

George B. McCormick, . " " 

VI. The Corporation has no capital stock. 

VII. The Corporation is to be managed by a board of di- 
rectors consisting of five members, and the names and resi- 
dences of those chosen directors for the first year are, — 

William D. Hartman, . West Chester, Pa. 
Joseph T. Rothrock, . . " " 

Gilbert Cope, ... " " 

James Monaghan, ..." " 

Gibbons Gray Cornwell, " " 

VIII. The yearly income of the Corporation, other than that 
derived from real estate, shall not exceed the sum of fifty 
thousand dollars. 

Witness our hands and seals this twenty- seventh day of 
April, Anno Domini one thousand eight hundred and ninety- 
three. 



BY-LAWS. 



ARTlCIvK I. Meeitings of thk Society. 

Section i. The annual meeting of the Society shall be held 
on the Third Thursday of May of each year, at such hour and 
place as the council may fix. 

Sec. 2. Stated meetings of the Society shall be held on the 
Third Thursdays of May, August, November and February of 
each year. 

Sec. 3, Special meetings of the Society may be called by the 
president in his discretion ; and shall be called by him upon 
the written application of five members, who may themselves 
call a meeting upon the inability or refusal of the president to 
do so. 

Sec. 4. The recording secretary shall give at least five days 
postal notice of the time and place of all meetings of the So- 
ciety. 

Sec. 5, Ten members shall constitute a quorum to do busi- 
ness at any meeting of the Society. 

ARTICIvB II. Membership. 

Section i. Membership of the Society shall be of three class- 
es : Active, honorary and corresponding. 

(a) Active Membership. — Any person nominated for mem- 
bership, upon election, as hereinafter specified, and payment of 
the dues prescribed by these by-laws, shall be duly enrolled an 
active member of the Society. 

((^) Honorary membership \nQ.y h& conferred, by election, as 
hereinafter specified, as a mark of especial appreciation, 

( <r) Corresponding membership. — Any person not residing in 
the county of Chester, who by reason of his or her aid, services 
or contributions to the Society, may be elected as hereinafter 
specified, shall be duly enrolled as a corresponding member of 
the Society. 



SscT. 2, No honorary nor corresponding member shall be 
liable for the payment of dues, be entitled to hold ofi&ce, to vote 
at any meeting of the Society, nor have any interest or owner- 
ship in the property thereof, real or personal. 

Sec. 3. All elections for membership of the Society shall 
be by the council ; in the case of active members a two-thirds 
vote, and in the case of honorary and corresponding members 
an unanimous vote of the members present at a stated meeting 
of the council, subsequent to that at which the name shall have 
been presented, shall be necessary for election. 

ARTICI.K III. DuKS. 

Section i. Every person subscribing to the certificate of as- 
sociation or elected to be an active member, shall pay an initia- 
tion fee of two dollars, and one dollar dues at each annual meet- 
ing thereafter; but one payment of fifteen dollars by such person 
shall be in lieu of said initiation fee and annual dues, and shall 
make him a life member. The moneys received on account of 
life memberships shall be kept as a fund and the interest only 
used. 

Sec. 2. Any active member in arrears in the payment of his 
dues two years may be stricken from the rolls by the council. 
No member in arrears shall be eligible as a fellow. The name 
of such person may by a vote of two-thirds of the members of 
the council present at any meeting thereof, be restored to the 
rolls. 

ARTICIvE IV. Election op Directors and Council. 

Section i. At each annual meeting, five directors, six coun- 
cillors, two vice-presidents, a treasurer and corresponding sec- 
retary, all of whom shall constitute the council of the Society, 
and of whom five shall be a quorum, shall be elected by ballot, 
to serve until their successors are duly chosen. 

Sec. 2. The persons having the highest number of votes for 
the offices for which they are nominated respectively shall be 
elected. In case a tie vote shall leave the result of the election 
as to one or more undetermined, the election officers shall cast 
lots to determine which of those having such tie votes shall be 
declared eledled. 



Skc. 3. The council shall declare vacant the office of any offi- 
cer who shall cease to be a member of the Society. In such 
case, or in case of the death or resignation of an officer, or of 
his appointment to another office, the vacancy shall be filled by 
the council. 

ARTICLE V. DUTIKS OF CoUNCIIv. 

Section i. The council shall elect by ballot the president 
and the recording secretary from the directors, and shall appoint 
two curators, and all necessary agents and employees. They 
shall make all contracts and exercise a general supervision and 
control of the affairs of the Society, except such as are legally 
vested by the constitution, in the board of directors, to which 
even in such cases the council shall act in an advisory capacity. 

Skc. 2. Stated meetings of the council shall be held on the 
third Thursday of each month, excepting months in which reg- 
ular quarterly meetings of the Society occurs, and of the direc- 
tors at such times as they may determine upon. 

Skc. 3. Special meetings of diredtors or council shall be held 
on call of the president. He shall be required to issue such call 
on the written request of three members of either body, who 
may themselves call such meeting in case of the president's in- 
ability or refusal to do so. 

Skc. 4. The council shall present to the Society at each an- 
nual meeting an accurate statement of its financial condition, 
and appoint three members, who are not members of the council, 
to examine said statement and audit the account of the 
treasurer prior to such meeting. 

ARTICIvE VI. DuTiKS OF Offickrs. 

Skction I. The President shall preside at all meetings of the 
directors or council and Society, call all special meetings of the 
Society and board of directors or council, appoint all standing 
committees, and sign all orders on the treasurer for the payment 
of money. In the absence of the President from any meeting 
of the board of directors or council, either may appoint a pres- 
ident pro tem. to act in his stead. 

Skc. 2. The older Vice-President shall preside at all meetings 
of the Society in the absence of the president, and in the ab- 



sence of said vice-president the other vice-president shall pre- 
side. 

Sec. 3. The Recording Secretary shall keep clear and accu- 
rate records of all proceedings of all meetings of the Society 
and of the board of directors and council. He shall counter- 
sign all orders to the treasurer for the payment of money, and 
give notice of all meetings. He shall present to the council all 
nominations for membership, and keep a roll of members. 

Sec. 4. The Corresponding Secretary shall attend to all cor- 
respondence of the Society, and perform all other duties which 
appertain to the ofl&ce of secretary, except as provided for the 
recording secretary. 

Sec. 5. The Treasurer shall receive all moneys and pay out 
the same only upon orders drawn by the president, counter- 
signed by the recording secretary. He shall give bond in such 
sum as the board of directors shall require, with sureties to be 
approved by them, conditioned for the faithful discharge of his 
duties. He shall make a clear statement in writing of the 
financial condition of the Society, to the council, for each an- 
nual meeting, and at such other times as the board of council 
may direct. He shall exhibit his annual statement, together 
with his accounts, and all books, papers and vouchers relating 
to the same, to the auditors when required for their examination. 
He shall turn over to his successor in office all moneys or ef- 
fects in his hands or control belonging to the Society. 

Sec. 6. The Curators shall be the custodians of all the prop- 
erty and possessions of the Society, and provide for the proper 
care and cataloguing of the same. They shall receive all dona- 
tions to and purchases b)^ the Society, and make report of the 
same to the council. They maj^ observe and shall report to 
the Society or council, the existence of property, relics, pa- 
pers, collections, &c., that it may be for the interests of the 
Society to acquire and possess, and look into the practicability 
of such acquisition or possession. 

ARTICLE VII. 

All bills or claims against the Society shall, before payment, 
be presented to and approved by the council and no orders upon 
the treasurer shall be drawn except by its direction. 



9 

ARTICLE VIII. 
The Society shall have a corporate seal, the design of which 
shall be determined by the board of directors. 

ARTICIvE IX. 
The order of business at stated meetings of the Society shall 
be as follows : 

1 . Reading of minutes of last previous meeting of the Society. 

2. Reports of standing committees. 

3. Reports of special committees. 

4. Report of directors. 

5. Report of council. 

6. Report of curators. 

7. Deferred business. 

8. New business. 

9. Elections. 

10. Reading of papers. 

11. Adjournment. 

ARTICLE X. 
The foregoing by-laws may be amended by a two-thirds vote 
at any stated meeting of the Society or any special meeting 
thereof called for the purpose, but a notice stating particularly 
the nature and character of the proposed amendment shall be 
posted in the rooms of the Society at least three months prior to 
said meeting. 



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